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By James Bickerton
News Reporter
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What's New
The FBI and local police have launched an investigation after a number of mystery drones were spotted over White Settlement, a suburb of Fort Worth in Texas which houses a major naval base.
White Settlement Police Department (WSPD) Chief Christopher Cook said his officers saw "drones in the area flying near Bomber Road, Silver Creek, and N. Las Vegas Trail" and are trying to locate the operator following multiple reports from the public.
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White Settlement is home to the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, which houses the 301st Fighter Wing of the Air Force Reserve.
In a statement provided to Newsweek, the Dallas FBI office said: "FBI Dallas is aware of recent sightings of possible drones flying as described by White Settlement PD. As always, suspicious or criminal activity can be reported to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submitted online at tips.fbi.gov."
Newsweek contacted the WSPD and Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth for comment via telephone on Thursday outside of regular business hours.
Why It Matters
The past few weeks have seen a series of mysterious reported drone sightings across the United States, with a particular focus on the Northeast, along with American military bases in the United Kingdom and Germany.
President-elect Donald Trump has suggested mystery drones over the U.S. should be shot down, though earlier this week White House National Security Adviser John Kirby said the reports were a mixture of drones being used lawfully "as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and even stars" that were misidentified.
What To Know
In a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, Cook said the WSPD "started responding to multiple reports of drones flying near city neighborhoods, federal and military properties on Tuesday, December 17, 2024 at 8:14 p.m."
He said WSPD officers sighted drones and "coordinated with security personnel at military and federal properties to try and locate the pilot-in-command."
According to Cook the WSPD received further reports of drone sightings in this area at 8:54 p.m. and then again at 10:21 p.m.
He added: "Out of an abundance of caution, reports have been initiated and we are working with the FBI, NCIS [Naval Criminal Investigative Service], and Air Force OSI [Office of Special Investigations] to determine the flight trajectories and who was piloting the unmanned aircraft.
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"While we do not believe there were any immediate threats related to last night's activities, it is concerning due to operating in "NO FLY ZONES" near federal and military properties."
Due to the nearby naval base, Cook said no fly zones are in place over "the City of White Settlement and adjacent areas near federal and military properties."
Anyone with information about the incidents is urged to contact the WSPD via 817-246-4973 or 817-246-7070.
What People Are Saying
Fort Worth resident Bruce Dennis in an X post on Wednesday: "Near Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base tonight at 7:30 p.m. (...) saw at least 5."
Newsweek has not independently verified the photographs or video.
CBS News Texas reporter Amelia Mugavero also shared a video of a suspected drone sighting on X: "Several drones were seen Tuesday night flying over the White Settlement area (which is a no fly zone). Viewers saw groups of up to six drones flying near the Naval Air Station Reserve Base, causing concern for law enforcement, especially following similar sightings around the country."
In a statement sent to Newsweek regarding earlier sightings near military bases the Pentagon said: "We take all of those seriously. We will typically, when we detect them, attempt to classify them and take appropriate measures."
What Happens Next
The WSPD will continue investigating the sightings alongside the FBI, NCIS and Air Force OSI. Nationally, much depends on whether there are any further sightings near military installations or other sites of importance.
Update 12/20/24, 2:10 a.m. ET: This story has been updated with comment from the FBI's Dallas office.
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